Baby Teeth is a novel told from alternating perspectives: Suzette and her daughter Hanna. Hanna is seven years old, and honestly I hope I never meet a child like her in my life. She loves her daddy (normal), but to the point that she plots to destroy and kill her mother (not so normal). All Suzette wants is a normal, happy life, but is constantly struggling with her Crohn’s disease, and her psychotic daughter. Did I mention the father doesn’t believe Suzette and the stories she tells about Hanna? All he sees is his little angel. When all is said and done, this story isn’t terribly believable if you take a step back, but if you get lost in it, *shudder* Hanna is terrifying.

This is Stage’s first novel, and I have to point out that I loved that the setting was in Pittsburgh, PA. As a resident of the city, there were so many little nods to the culture and characteristics that make it unique. I have never read a novel that takes place in a city I live in, and it has made me want to explore other novels that incorporate cities I am familiar with, as I felt I could imagine the scenery so vividly. I would be walking to the bus stop (on a street that was mentioned in the novel no less) and look at a house and think to myself, “That’s the house that xxxx took place in.” Who knows, maybe it is?

While I didn’t particularly connect with the characters in the novel, I saw others I knew in them (not Hanna, don’t worry). At times some of the phrasing in the book was a little strange (“freshly f***ed”) which gave me pause, but overall I could imagine myself sitting on a lawn chair enjoying reading this book this summer, getting chills from the creepy factor.

I received an advanced copy of this from St. Martins Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. If you are uncomfortable reading books about disturbed children, this is not for you. I found it fascinating and very well written, although I will say I was disappointed with the ending. Hanna is the 7 year old mute, manipulative, psychotic child of Alex and Suzette. She refuses to speak, acts so badly she is kicked out of every school she attends, and loves her daddy very much. Mommy, not so much. So mommy has got to go. Hanna has a very high IQ and keeps coming up with ingenious plans to get rid of Suzette. Aided by her alter ego, Marie-Anne Dufosset, who happens to be the last known woman to be burned as a witch centuries ago, Hanna schemes to find a way to get rid of mommy for good. Then she and daddy can live happily ever after. Alex is totally oblivious to her bad behavior since she only does it around mommy. And Mommy has had enough. Suzette has an autoimmune disease that has plagued her all of her life. Dealing with Hanna daily and with her health failing, she becomes desperate for answers as to why her child is trying to kill her. This is written from both Suzette's and Hanna's point of view so you get to know them well and understand their thinking. Now that was the scary part.....after all, she is only 7 years old...

This might be one of the hardest reviews I have ever written. Talk about conflicted. Let me be clear, I did not like any part of this story. I saw the term “nonsense fiction” and I think that fits this book beautifully. This book is pure junk, yet I couldn’t put it down.

Hanna hates her mommy. Really, hates her, like enough to want her dead. Oh, Hanna is 7. Hanna loves her daddy. Really, loves him, like enough to want mommy dead so daddy can belong solely to Hanna. Did I mention Hanna is 7?!? Did I mention that Hanna refuses to speak, unless she’s threatening to murder mommy, but she never allows daddy to hear her threats, remember Hanna loves Daddy?!?! This book is odd but not good odd,JUST the odd odd.

I apologize to the author, but I found so much about this book preposterous. Hanna might be gifted but there is no way she is that manipulative, crafty, diabolical, tech savvy and possess such a host of other exceptional skills, she’s 7. Adults can be morons, but there is no way any parent would have put up with that type of behavior and not sought professional mental health care earlier. Same for educators, family doctor, family members, neighbors, someone would have intervened and flagged Hanna as a child in need before age 7. None of their actions make any sense. See, nonsense fiction.

Comparing this book to We Need To Talk About Kevin is completely unfair to that outstanding novel. Kevin explored deep questions about motherhood, nature, nurture, indifference, apathy and bad behavior verses evil inclinations. This book explored nothing but gratuitous shock value.

I’m a huge fan of St. Martin’s Press but this book was a big disappointment. I recognize not every book is for every reader and I’ve seen many glowing reviews. Congratulations to Zoje Stage for writing a most controversial debut.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an advanced read in exchange for this read.

This book is disturbing. Just look at the title, and then you can just imagine that this book is going to be disturbing. Stage does an incredible job of developing the characters, and you'll feel highs and lows with them. I can't say I enjoyed it (I don't think you are supposed to), but I didn't anticipate a lot of the book which is hard now with this genre.

Oh my my …where to begin…

Talk about some eyebrow raising moments. I was prepared to read more of a horror story with an atmospheric home with terror inducing scenarios, BUT what I felt reading most of the book was…. Bored.

I loved the movie The Omen with the little boy who terrified me. He ruled the house with his evilness, an underlying force. I thought the story would offer more of this terror inducing scenario.

Hannah, who is 7 years old, is portrayed as a manipulative and troubled girl who wants to harm her mother and have her father all to herself. There are plenty of shocking events and what did I just read moments, but for me this one didn’t pull it off. I will say the author does a good job of diving into the minds of the mom and daughter. It just wasn’t compelling to me.

If you want some shock and awe, a total freak show, then this one will fit the bill.
Thanks to the publisher for my ARC.

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I picked up this book because it was compared to The Bad Seed and Damion. It is, unfortunately, neither, but a stereotypical bad kid doing horrible things on steroids. Would make a suitable B-rated movie. The six year old child thought critically like an adult. Even a genius child can't do that. They don't have the frontal cortex capabilities yet. The mother was a walking discussion board thread for "my experience with Chrone's Disease" -- way overdone. It was just plain awful. I plodded through it hoping for improvement or a twist , Neither materialized. Don't waste your time.

This book is completely bonkers, and I loved every minute of it!

In fact, this review was very difficult to write, precisely because the book is so darn crazy! I don't think I've ever before so much enjoyed a book in which the entire cast of characters was so utterly unlikable! Let's break it down, shall we?

1. Hanna is a creepy and manipulative kid who would like nothing better than to get rid of her mother so she can have Daddy all to herself. She's very serious about this goal and is open to considering all options to make it happen, up to and including murder.

2. Suzette is Hanna's mother and she's had just about enough of being doting to a child who is such a brat. She's getting to the point where she wouldn't really mind Hanna being gone either; it doesn't help that Hanna is clearly Daddy's little angel.

3. Alex/Daddy is Hanna's father and Suzette's husband. He might also be the most oblivious man to walk the earth.

4. Other annoying random characters include teachers (and other school staff) and doctors who do not seem concerned about any possible abuse or mental illness, or if they do, they're easily convinced that nah, nothing's really wrong.

The short chapters alternate between the perspectives of main characters Hanna and Suzette, and they suck you in until you've "just one mored" your way to the end of the book. I'm a big fan of alternating perspectives when they're done well, and they are very nicely paced here, indeed. I found myself flip flopping allegiances as the book progressed.

Let me be very clear: you must be very willing to suspend your disbelief to enjoy this book. I found it distracting that Hanna is unevenly precocious, and OMG! Suzette! Please let me tell you about this clever invention called the nanny cam! However, if you can overlook these little quibbles, then you must also be willing to set aside a good few hours once you pick this book up, because once you get started, you won't be able to stop. This is the most deliciously voyeuristic book I have read in a long, long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a free electronic ARC of this novel, received in exchange for an honest review.

Save your eyes, and brain power. I thought this might be a controversial book, and it sure was given hype by the publisher! I think I could tell you about the book in a sentence. Child hates Mommy, loves Daddy, and wants him all to herself. She's mute, intelligent, and a sociopath. Adulterating children like this makes me cringe. Don't waste anytime with this one. I weep when I know there is good talent out there with read-worthy stories that are passed off while this type is published. Sad.
Received this book via Netgalley for an honest review. (Can't get more honest than this one...)

The story collapses nearly immediately under the weight of some questionable stylistic choices. The alternating POV between tormenter and victim--here, a daughter and mother--destroys any chance for dramatic irony and tension. Each character's choices are spelled out in her respective chapter, and they come to pass in the next. For a creepy kid tale like Baby Teeth, a bit less explanation and a lot more ambiguity would have gone a long way.

I also disagreed with the choice to age Hanna so young. She's only 7 years old here, which is patently absurd with some of the vocabulary found in her first-person narration. Her character is drawn into an impossible corner: she's supposed to be a sociopathic genius lightyears beyond her parents' reckoning as well as a small child with all of the accompanying mental and physical weaknesses.

A disappointing thriller. The blurb compares it to We Need To Talk About Kevin; just go read--or reread!--We Need To Talk About Kevin instead.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2111769544?book_show_action=false

Suzette is a stay at home mum looking after her 7 year old Hanna. She home schools her, makes sure she has the healthiest life possible and manages her debilitating autoimmune illness.

Hanna is mute (by choice, as she can speak however she chooses not to). She is also smart beyond her years and adores her dad Alex. Her mum however? Not so much. Hanna does not like sharing her daddy with mummy and must think of a way to get rid of mummy forever...without alerting daddy to her plan.

This book will be a marmite book to many; you will either love it or hate it. I however absolutely loved it. 

The chapters alternate between Hanna's and Suzette's point of view, and this is complete genius. 

Baby Teeth is a challenging and at times an uncomfortable read. The subject matter demands that it be so. Stage manages to make you feel for Suzette and Hanna at the same time as you hear the story from both angles. She also makes you feel shocked, appalled and frustrated with every character too. I desperately wanted Hanna to start communicating why she felt the way she felt and wanted to heal her. I wanted Suzette to be more patient and understanding, but yet she was being pushed so dramatically and was experiencing some horrendous things at the hands of her daughter. I wanted to shake Alex for being so blind to the whole situation.

Did she have the perfect parents? No (but who is?), but she had a stable loving home and yet still became so utterly tangled inside that she became someone abhorrent. The whole nature versus nurture thing is very much prevalent here and gave me much food for thought. The most shocking aspect of this is that Hanna is still very young and able to commit such appalling acts against her mother. What will she become as she gets older?

Stage is bold enough to write something so completely controversial and pull it off brilliantly. I read Baby Teeth in a few sittings and when I had to put it down I was thinking about it. 

I will understand that this book won't be for everyone. It is an uncomfortable read. You find yourself thinking about things that you normally wouldn't. For me, it was deliciously dark and compulsive reading.

A mind blowing 5 stars for me.

I would like to thank Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

WHat a truly evil little girl. This book reminded me of The Bad Seed where the girl was truly bad. Charcuterie is very manipulative and the parents have. I idea what is truly going on in her mind.

WOW! What would you do if your 7 year old daughter tries to repeatedly kill you? This book takes you for a thrilling roller coaster ride and drops you fast at the end! I was enthralled with the power struggle between Suzette and Hanna and the power struggle inside of Suzette.
Everytime that Hanna acted out, I was like, ok it can't get worse, but then it did. I am glad of the direction of the book and how it ended. GREAT BOOK!

Wow this book was super creepy. I was always intrigued and nervous by the movie The Bad Seed that I watched when I was young. This brought it all back. Scary for kids to be such little monsters. Thanks Netgalley for the read!

Baby Teeth is the debut novel by Zoje Stage. In Baby Teeth the story is told in alternating voices of Suzette (mother) and Hanna (daughter). This story is fascinating and scary at the same time. Ms Stage does an excellent job of keeping the reader turning the pages. Looking forward to reading more by this author. I was given an early copy to review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital ARC of this book. I really wanted to like this book. The storyline of the book was very intriguing. The problem is that the book is written from a dual point of view.. The little girl's and the mother's- and I didn't like either one of them. It is hard to read a book told from the point of view of to people that you really don't like. I couldn't finish it.

Mind bending, compulsively readable and OMG are some of the thoughts that kept spinning through my head as I devoured this novel, and then started re-reading it, because I just wanted to try to understand Hanna a little more, and I loved getting sucked back in to this mother's nightmare of a life.

Hanna is the beautiful, beloved child of Suzette and Alex. But Hanna is different. She doesn't speak. And Suzette feels as though her daughter may hold some malice for her...but that's crazy, right? It's easy to see why Hanna loves her daddy so much...and it's just unthinkable that her daughter could be anything beyond a quiet little girl...

This novel presents both Suzette's thoughts and those of Hanna as the two navigate their relationship with each other and with Alex. As a reader I was utterly immersed, and found my heart pounding as the stakes got higher and higher.

This book is fantastic. I may have to read it...AGAIN.

Hanna is definitely 'Daddy's girl'. In fact, she wishes more than anything that she and her father, Alex, were all by themselves. Without her mother, Suzette, with her constant fussing and worrying and doctors' appointments.....so what if Hanna won't talk? She CAN talk.....or, at least she can sing nonsensical things when the mood strikes her. 
Poor Suzette, plagued by Crohn's disease, isn't thrilled when she gets pregnant and struggles with it throughout. But Alex, ever hopeful, positive and supportive...... Alex, is thrilled. Only Suzette is privy to Hanna's dark behaviors. For Daddy she is well-behaved and his perfect little girl. For Mommy she saves her biggest surprises: like refusing to stop pounding on the bathroom door until Mommy opens it and asks her why she never listens to her. "Because I'm no Hanna", her daughter whispers. Thus follows a game with seemingly no end as Hanna makes every effort to push her mother to the limits of her sanity....perhaps even her life. 
Stage gives us a picture of life with a very disturbed child, intent on wreaking havoc and getting rid of her mother. Alex is shockingly blind to his daughter's behaviors and motives, effectively leaving Suzette alone to survive Hanna's warped motives.

I sorry I could not finish this book. I found it too dark and disturbing. It seems like the author is trying to write a psychological thriller and is lost in trying to make it too violent. There may be an audience for this book...but, it just is not me.
Sorry this is not a book I choose to spend my time reading.

Loved this book. Every parent's worst nightmare realized. And the characters so believable in their relationships. I found the book creepy and it kept me on the edge of my seat. Well done!

This book can only be described as weird, but entertaining. Hanna is a child who won’t speak unless she feels like it and who has her father charmed and thinking that she is a perfect angel. Her mother Suzette has tried vainly to enroll her in preschool, but she keeps getting expelled because of her abhorrent behavior. So mom Suzette has to homeschool the little darling who resents her and wants mommy out of the way so it can just be her and her adoring daddy. What a dysfunctional family! The style was also strange, skipping between the point of view of the various characters and letting the reader truly feel the frustration of the mom, the blindness of the dad and the pure evil of Hanna.. As I stated, the book was weird; I read it for the entertainment, but I am not sure that most people would stick with it since the family is so dysfunctional that there is nothing believable about the book.